Court Jails Truck Driver 5 Years For Trafficking Cannabis

Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a 32-year-old truck driver, Oriyomi Ayesoro, to five years imprisonment for unlawfully transporting 2,647 kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, commonly known as Indian hemp or marijuana.

Justice Aluko handed down the verdict after Ayesoro pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of drug trafficking brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The judge also ordered the interim forfeiture of the white Iveco truck, marked FKJ 271 IYL, with chassis number SBCAIA000B015241, which was allegedly used to convey the illegal cargo.

The prosecutor, Paul Ekuribhad, earlier informed the court that the convict was arrested on July 9, 2026, at Abraham Adesanya Street, Lekki, Lagos, while transporting the prohibited substance from Alasia Tipper Garage to Berger.

Ekuri claimed that the convict was conveying the cannabis in the Iveco truck when operatives apprehended him.

He maintained that the offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 11(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Following his plea, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence Ayesoro in accordance with the law and to admit the exhibits tendered before the court.

Ekuri also asked the court to order the forfeiture of the truck used to convey the illicit drug to the federal government.

The defence counsel, Dennis Warri, did not oppose his client’s conviction but challenged the prosecution’s request for the final forfeiture of the vehicle.

After citing several legal authorities and provisions of the NDLEA Act, Warri argued against the final forfeiture of the vehicle.The prosecution opposed the defence’s submission.

Justice Aluko sentenced the convict to five years’ imprisonment but ordered that he could pay a N1 million fine instead of serving the jail term.